1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to devices and systems for mounting percussion instruments, and particularly to the mounting of hand bells.
2. Description of Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,493,947 (Philbeck) titled Support Device for an Acoustical Bell issued Feb. 27, 1996 discloses a device for supporting an acoustical bell comprising a base member carrying a channel. The channel is formed to receive the handguard of the bell so that the bell can be pivoted about its handguard. An alternative embodiment comprises a T-shaped base with a recess formed therein for receiving the handguard. Rotating the bell handle downward elevates the bell a distance above a surface so that the bell can be rung by striking it. A strip of felt or rubber can be placed in the channel as a cushion for the handguard.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,154,135 (Haack) titled Musical Instrument issued May 15, 1979 discloses a bell tower arranged to permit a single person to ring a substantial number of bells as in the playing of a musical selection. The bell tower includes a stand for supporting a plurality of bells suitably to be rung by the selective striking thereof as by a mallet or other ringing element. The instrument includes a control for selectively damping rung bells. The control may be foot pedal operated and may be arranged to damp selected groups of the bells of the tower. The bells may be supported on the tower stand to define octaves corresponding to the notes of a conventional piano keyboard. The respective octaves may be vertically related. The damping control may be biased to a damping disposition and selectively released by the user in the playing of the instrument.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,471,078 (Pyle) titled Mobile Percussion Instrument Field Rack System issued Oct. 29, 2002 discloses a mobile percussion-instrument field rack that holds a multiplicity of percussion instruments such that one or more percussionists can play at the same time. The field rack is foldable and easily transported, preferably in between the seats of a bus. It has large wide wheels attached to a center portion of the rack with a fixed stable wheelbase which is independent of swinging and height-adjustable side wings of the rack. It comprises a distinct upper and lower framework which utilizes a two-point clamping system for improved securing of the instruments.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/533,427 (Malta) titled Bell Ensemble filed Sep. 20, 2006 and published as US 2008/0078278 A1 discloses a bell ensemble that includes individual bells affixed to one of two parallel rails of a support framework. In keyboard fashion, a series of bells representing natural-pitched notes of a musical scale (white piano keys) extends forwardly from the front rail while extending from a second rearward rail are those bells corresponding to the sharps or flats (black piano keys). In order to position the bells for greatest ease of striking by the musician, the rear framework support rail is offset upwardly relative to the front rail to place them closer to the musician. The framework is preferably held by a freestanding support such as a cymbal stand well-known in the percussion instrument arts.
A popular alternative for arraying instruments such as hand bells for performance is simply laying the instruments on a table and then lifting them when it is time to strike. This practice has certain drawbacks when working with larger instruments such as bass bells. Repeatedly lifting the instruments, which can cost several thousands of dollars, increases the risk of damaging to them. Further some instruments are not easily lifted, and this limits who can play them. For instance, the C2 bronze bass hand bell offered by Marlmark of Plumsteadville, Pa. is over 15 inches in diameter and weighs more than 14 pounds.
The support device described by Philbeck allows a bell to be sounded by striking it while it lies in a horizontal position in the support on a table. However the primary resonance of the bell in this position is perpendicular to the listening audience, resulting in a less pleasant perceived tone than when the bell is held vertically.
The Haack instrument, while convenient for keyboard manipulation of the bell choir, does not permit the same richness of artistry, ambience, or participation by many musicians, as the playing of the instruments by hand. The Malta bell ensemble and the Pyle mobile percussion instrument field rack, while convenient in many ways, do not address the particular certain issues of struck idiophones, such as convenient ways to suspend them for superior resonance during play by hand while preventing excessive motion away from the player. Nor do Haack, Pyle, or Malta provide a ready means for changing instruments quickly during a performance, as might be desirable, for example, to arrange a choir of instruments for play in a particular key either between pieces or even during a performance.
The entire disclosures of the patent publications discussed above are hereby incorporated by reference herein for all purposes